Paul of Greece

What people wore

Multipurpose handwoven garments

Women often wove their own families' clothes, with one set often serving as both a special festive outfit and later, burial clothing.

Getting around

Mule Transport and Wayside Inns

Mules and ponies were essential for difficult mountain terrain, with animals expertly navigating rocky paths at steep angles while carrying loads of 2 or 3 cwt. Travelers frequently sought shelter in wayside inns called chania, which were simple, single-room buildings used for eating, sleeping, and housing animals.

At the table

Resinated wine was the common beverage

People often drank retsinata, a resinated wine with a strong scent of turpentine that was the primary table beverage.

Music

Private family music ensembles

Small musical groups called kompanies, typically consisting of violin, santouri (dulcimer), guitar, or oud, played for private family celebrations like weddings and engagements.

Daily life

Democratic and free public education access

Education was highly valued and free for all Greeks, with children from diverse backgrounds, such as a cabdriver's daughter and the child of a Secretary of State, learning together in the same schools. Attendance was eager, contrasting with the listless air observers found in their own countries.

What it cost

Wages in the early 1900s

In the early 1900s, general workers earned between 50 lepta and 1 drachma for a 10–12 hour workday, while men's wages ranged from 1.20 to 3 drachmas and women's were as low as 10 lepta.